The present invention relates to a method for the adaptation or adjustment of a machine support where the weight of a machine is accommodated exclusively by a main support.
The setting up and hence connection of machines with the machine foundation or bedplate is customarily effected by means of one or more elastic machine supports. This is particularly true of machines having oscillating masses, such as reciprocating piston or internal combustion engines.
The design of such machine supports with regard to the spring rigidity and dampening is effected in a preliminary step by an analytical determination with regard to weight, moments of inertia, and dominant excitation frequencies.
However, if the machine is connected with other components, such as gear mechanisms and generators, a purely theoretical design of the machine support for achieving an adequately quiet running is not sufficient. In addition, limiting conditions that cannot be controlled, such as external forces (propeller thrust with drives of ships) make an adequately precise definition of the machine support possible to only a limited extent.
Thus, with the initial manufacture of a machine configuration that had up to then been unknown requires monitoring the selected machine support during operation.
Under these conditions, it is often necessary to adapt the machine support at the site of operation, mainly by exchanging it for a machine support having a different rigidity. This is, of course, connected with a considerable expense and effort for modification, since for the known configurations of the machine support the engine must be removed to accomplish such exchange and must subsequently be again placed in position. For example, in the case of drive mechanisms for ship engines, which have very confined installation conditions, this can be an extremely tedious undertaking.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to avoid this effort to a large extent, as well as to provide the possibility for a modification in operation. In addition, it should be possible to achieve an extensive optimization without complicated measuring apparatus and corresponding operators.